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FACENA, Vol. 19, pp. 129-135, 2003
SPECIFIC
SUPRAOCULAR
SCUTELLATION
PATTERNS
AS
SIGNIFICANT DIAGNOSTIC CHARACTERS: A TAXONOMIC
INTER AND INTRAGENERIC “FINGER-PRINT” IN LACERTILIA
José M. CEI(1)
RESUMEN: Prolongadas observaciones morfológicas en centenares de especímenes de lacertilian, demuestran en cada taxon una significativa peculiaridad de los patrones de distribución de las escamas supraoculares, desde un nivel específico a categorías superiores como
género, familia, orden. Se analizan, con dibujos detallados, diferentes patrones propios de ejemplares de géneros pertenecientes a
familias de Iguania, como Leiosauridae, Tropiduridae, Liolaemidae,
comparándolos con patrones de Teiidae, familia del orden Scleroglossa. Los patrones de los taxa intragenéricos de la familia Leiosauridae evidencian una afinidad inconfundible, examinando la lepidosis supraocular característica de las especies de Pristidactylus,
Diplolaemus, Leiosaurus. Hay un patrón exclusivo de cada género que
establece a simple vista una separación intergenérica de indudable
valor diagnóstico. Estas observaciones se repiten en Tropiduridae,
con los taxa de los géneros Uranoscodon, Tropidurus y Ophryoessoides: las acompañan consideraciones sistemáticas en cada caso. Lo
mismo ocurre con la familia Liolaemidae, con análoga diferenciación
específica de las supraoculares en Phymaturus y en las numerosas
formas de Liolaemus. Según el significado general de las peculiaridades morfológicas encontradas, se verifica un llamativo contraste
entre los anteriores hallazgos en Iguania y la lepidosis supraocular de Teiidos de los géneros Dicrodon y Kentropyx, del distinto
orden Scleroglossa. Se llega a concluir que la citada constancia de
la lepidosis supraocular, además de constituir un notable atributo
morfológico de cada taxon –casi definible como un curiosos “fingerprint” de lagartos y lagartijas- también puede ser un elemento diagnóstico complementario para una identificación preliminar de ejemplares desconocidos.
ABSTRACT: The specificity of the supraocular patterns in lacertilian
is recognized and analysed. Inter and intrageneric specific
differences in lizards belonging to families of Iguania as
Leiosauridae,
Tropiduridae,
Liolaemidae
are
pointed
out.
A
significant
comparison
with
the
very
different
supraocular
scutellations of teiid genera Dicrodon and Kentropyx is carried
out. The suitable diagnostic use of this morphological trend of
systematic value is put in evidence. Its peculiar structure and
unquestionable specificity give to it a physiognomy of some unusual
kind of herpetological “finger-print”.
Palabras claves: patrón específico, lacertilian, lepidosis, diagnosis
Key words: specific pattern, Lacertilia, scutellation, diagnosis
INTRODUCTION
FACENA, Vol. 19, 2003
130
Through four decades of comparative research on
several hundreds of specimens belonging to different
orders, families and species of Lacertilia, conclusive
observations lead to point out a clear-cut peculiarity of
their supraocular scutellations. The patterns of the
latter structures show a distinct morphological expression
in accordance with the different systematic levels of any
observed specimen. In fact, for example, a characteristic
supraocular pattern can be put in evidence for all the
lizards of the family Leiosauridae, as well as for any
other lizard belonging to other families, as Polychroti____________
(1) Departamento de Ciencias Naturales, Universidad Nacional de Rio Cuarto, Córdoba y Facultad de Ciencias Agrarias, Universidad Nacional de Cuyo, Mendoza, Argentina.
Hilario Cuadros 81, (5501) Godoy Cruz, Mendoza. E-mail: fvidela@lab.cricyt.edu.ar
dae, Tropiduridae, Liolaemidae, etc. Any taxon included in
each genus of every family shows, moreover, a specific
supraocular pattern, with a relatively moderate or
insignificant individual variation. Of course, major
distinctive differences may also be found comparing
species registered at a more elevated systematic rank, as
the Iguania or Scleroglossa orders. The general taxonomic
interest of this localized but peculiar morphological
trend cannot be disregarded and its suitable application
in diagnostic examination of herpetological samples must
be taken into account.
The purpose of this short note is to exemplify the
specific
supraocular
scutellation
arrangements
in
representative taxa of Neotropical lizards, carefully
reported in original comparative drawings from living or
well preserved specimens. The here illustrated significant
species were ordered, in our figures, following their
systematic affinities. A concise discussion will follow,
with some detailed remarks on my findings.
MATERIALS
AND METHODS
Given the purposes of the work, a list of all the
examined specimens should be prolix and unneessary.
Morphological details were drawn under a dissecting
microscope. Approximate magnifications of the supraocular
lepidosis were indicated (in mm) in some drawings by lines
along ciliary eye borders. For herpetological nomenclature
the Peter’s Dictionary (1964) was a reference. Acronyms of
Scientific Institutions or Personal Herp. Collections,
Specific supraocular scutellation patterns as significant...José M. CEI
131
cited in labeled drawn specimens are: MACN-Mus. Argent.
Cie. Nat. Bs.As.; MMHN-SR-Mus. Munic. Hist. Nat. S.
Rafael, Mza.; MZUSP- Mus. Zool. Univ. S. Paulo; KU-Univ.
Kansas Nat. Hist. Mus.; MRSN-Mus. Regional Sci. Nat.
Torino. It.; JMC-DC- J.M. Cei Diagnostic Collection; MNHNMus. Nat. Hist. Nat. Paris.
MORPHOLOGICAL
AND SYSTEMATIC REMARKS AND CONCLUSIONS
Reports on Saurian supraocular region, between the
circumorbitals and superciliaries, evidently are frequent
in the whole herpetological literature. Many records and
figures
could
be
cited,
but
a
whole
systematic
interpretation and a true critical valuation of the
specific supraocular scutellation is unreported to my
knowledge. In the paper by Frost y Etheridge (1989) on
phylogenetic
analysis
of
iguanian
lizards,
only
transformations of superciliary scales and subocular
scales are remembered. But in Frost’s taxonomic revision
of the Tropidurus group of lizards (1992) the interest of
the circumorbitals in one row or in two rows between the
supraoculars and the median head shield was emphasized,
given its suitable diagnostic value to discriminate the
genera Uranoscodon, Microlophus, Plesiomicrolophus and
Tropidurus. Likely, in a former comparative research
(Etheridge,
1970),
systematic
differences
of
superciliaries produced vertically, or not or only weakly
produced, to form a longitudinal crest, have been suitably
applied
to
discriminate
taxonomically
Plica
and
Uranoscodon from the other members of the Tropidurus
group.
As anticipated in the introduction, my present paper
try to point out graphically the peculiar specific
arrangement of supraocular scales, following a significant
systematic pattern for several families, genera and
species of iguanian lizards, and for few contrasting
genera of Scleroglossa Teiids.
In
fig.
1
the
drawings
A-D
are
applied
to
representative species of Pristidactylus, a cis-transAndean genus recently analysed by Cei et al. (2001): a
member of the austral South American family Leiosauridae,
separated from Polychrotidae by Frost et al. (2001). The
drawings E,F, belong to the genus Diplolaemus, the
drawings G-I to the genus Leiosaurus. Specific differences
in
scutellation
patterns
are
clearly
exhibited
by
132
FACENA, Vol. 19, 2003
Pristidactylus scapulatus, P. araucanus, P. nigroiugulus
and mainly by P. fasciatus, phyletically the most
differentiated form of the genus. Extant but minor
diversity is shown by Diplolaemus darwini and D. bibroni,
however in the genus Leiosaurus a fundamental pattern
similarity is modified by specific peculiarities, such as
the poorly distinct circumorbitals in L. belli, or the
enlarged scale rows bordering the superciliaries of L.
catamarcensis.
In Fig. 2 significant specific samples of the family
Tropiduridae are presented. The drawing A point out the
unusual pattern of the Amazonian Uranoscodon, whose
supraocular scutellation is unique. The drawing B belongs
to Microlophus peruvianus, a representative taxon of a
trans-Andean
genus
of
tropidurid
lizards,
whose
relationships with the cis-Andean genus Tropidurus are
notorious (drawings C-J). In spite of a remarkable
specific
differentiation,
marked
by
the
variable
longitudinal row of larger transversal supraocular scales,
an unmistakable “Tropidurus pattern” is evident in the
several taxa of the figure, as well as in the many other
omitted members of this vigorous phyletic line. In the
cited Frost’s revision (1992) some related genera were
included in the genus Tropidurus, such as Plica, whose
taxon Plica umbra Linnaeus, 1758 was here reported with
the
drawing
K.
Several
differences
in
supraocular
scutellation can be observed, comparing Tropidurus umbra
(Linnaeus, 1758) with the Tropidurus drawing C-J of the
Fig. 2. Another of the various genera of the family
Tropiduridae is also shown by the drawing L: the
Ecuadorian Ophryoessoides iridescens, synonymized under
the genus Stenocercus in the same Frost’s paper (1992).
The
generic and
specific peculiarities
of such a
supraocular pattern can be again pointed out.
In Fig. 3 two genera of the family Liolaemidae (Frost
et al., 2001) are reported: Phymaturus and Liolaemus, a
very successful evolutionary branch having more than 160
recognized taxa, still in post-glacial speciation. Two
main groups of Phymaturus were proposed by Etheridge
(1995), apparently as well supported by the karyological
research (Cei and Videla, 2003: in press). A Phymaturus
patagonicus group, exemplified in the drawing A, including
six
taxa
(patagonicus,
somuncurensis,
zapalensis,
payuniae, nevadoi, indistinctus), and a “palluma” (=
flagellifer) group with several taxa from Northern and
Central Argentina (antofagastensis, mallimaccii, punae,
Specific supraocular scutellation patterns as significant...José M. CEI
133
adrianae), represented by the drawings B,C in the Fig. 3.
Dissimilarity between these group can be likely supported
by their supraocular patterns, being controlled on a
number of specimens of all the described taxa of the
genus. All the lizards of the patagonicus group can be
referred
to
the
drawing
A
for
their
supraocular
scutellation, of course with some specific variation, as
in any similar intrageneric relationship. Superciliaries,
e.g., are rather produced in P. somuncurensis, P.
zapalensis,
P.
payuniae;
circumorbitals
are
poorly
distinct in P. payuniae, reduced in P. somuncurensis and
P. zapalensis. General features of the group are shown by
any form of the other Phymaturus line, however some
specific characteristics can be pointed out, mainly for
the relative size of circumorbitals. A comparison between
P. mallimaccii (drawing B) and P. punae (drawing C) may
indicate such a minor divergence.
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FACENA, Vol. 19, 2003
Fig. 1: Supraocular scutellation patterns in species of the Iguanian family Leiosauridae: A- Pristidactylus
scapulatus (Burmeister, 1861), male, from Paramillo, Uspallata, 3000 m.a.s.l., Mendoza Province (JMCDC, 631); B- P. araucanus (Gallardo, 1964), male, from Laguna Blanca, Zapala, 1200 m.a.s.l., Neuquén
Province (MACN, 17702); C- P. nigroingulus Cei, Scolaro, Videla, 2001, male, from Telsen, 1000
m.a.s.l., Chubut Province (MACN, 37092); D- P. fasciatus (Dorbigny, 1837), male, from Cerro Nevado,
Mendoza Province (MMSR, H-800); E- Diplolaemus bibroni Bell, 1843, male, from Ea. Vizcaina, S Lago,
Buenos Aires, Santa Cruz Province (UMC-DC, 540); F- D. darwini Bell, 1843, male, from Puerto
Deseado, Santa Cruz Province (JMC-DC, 536); G- Leiosaurus catamarcensis (Koslowsky, 1898), male,
from 60 km S Iglesias, San Juan Province (JMC-DC, 005); H- L. paronae (Peracca, 1897), male, from
Nacuñán, Santa Rosa Dept., Mendoza Province (JMC-DC, 824); I- L. belli Duméril & Bibron, 1837, male,
from 15 km S Nihuil, Mendoza Province (JMC-DC, 006).
Specific supraocular scutellation patterns as significant...José M. CEI
135
Fig. 2: Supraocular scutellation patterns in species of the Iguanian family Tropiduridae: A- Uranoscodon
superciliosus (Lesson 1758), male, from Trois Sants, Guyane Française (from MNHN-Paris, JMC-DC,
362); B- Microlophus peruvianus Lesson, 1831, male, from Rio S. José, Arica, Chile (from Lab. Gen.
Univ. Chile, JMC-DC, 631); C- Tropidurus spinulosus (Cope, 1862), male, from El Durazno, Tanti, 1130
m.a.s.l., Córdoba Province (JMC-DC, 062); D- T. spinulosus (Cope, 1862), male, from Palmar Largo,
Formosa Province (MRSN, R-0172); E- T. hispidus (Cope, 1862), male, from Machurucutu, Estado
Miranda, Venezuela (JMC-DC, 682); F- T. catalanensis Gudynas & Skuk, 1983, male, from Puerto
Iguazú, Misiones Province (JMC-DC, 1103); G- T. torquatus Wied-Neuwied, 1825, male, Cabo Frio, Rio
de Janeiro, Brasil (from MZUSP-39512, JMC-DC, 486); H- T. etheridgei Cei, 1982, male, from Mina
Clavero, 900 m.a.s.l., Córdoba Province (MRSN, R-0374); I- T. melanopleurus pictus Müller, 1923,
female, Quebrada Acambuco, Dique Itiyra, Salta Province (JMC-DC, 457); J- T. melanopleurus pictus
Müller, 1923, male, from Angosto del Pescado, 600 m.a.s.l., Salta Province (JMC-DC, 458); K- T. (Plica)
umbra (Linnaeus, 1758), male, from Crique Elespaning, Guyane Française (from MNHN-Paris, JMC-DC,
359); L- Ophryoessoides iridescens (Günther, 1859), male, from Esmeralda, Ecuador (from UK, 142685,
JMC-DC, 777).
136
FACENA, Vol. 19, 2003
Fig. 3: Supraocular scutellation patterns in species of the Iguanian family Liolaemidae and the
Scleroglossa family Teiidae: A- Phymaturus patagonicus Koslowsky, 1896, male, from 30 km W
Dolavon, Chubut Province (JMC-DC, 335); B- P. mallimaccii Cei, 1980, male, from Sierra Famatina,
3400 m.a.s.l., La Rioja Province (JMC-DC, 073); C- P. punae Cei, Etheridge & Videla, 1983, male, from
Casarones, 3500 m.a.s.l., San Guillermo highlands, San Juan Province (JMC-DC 802); D- Liolaemus kingi
Bell, 1843, male, from Isla Pingüinos, Rio San Julián, Santa Cruz Province (JMC-DC, 1188); E- L.
fitzingeri Duméril & Bibron, 1837, male, from 20 km W Chacay, Chubut Province (JMC-DC, 1217); F- L.
(Vilcunia) silvanae Donoso Barros & Cei, male, from Puesto Lebrun, 1400 m.a.s.l., Meseta Lago Buenos
Aires, Santa Cruz Province (JMC-DC, 603); G- Dicrodon guttulatum Duméril & Bibron, 1839, male, from
Playas de Guayas, Ecuador (from UK, 142773, JMC-DC, 786); H- Kentropyx viridistriga Boulenger,
1894, female, from Laguna Brava, Corrientes Province (JMC-DC, 1078); I- K. lagartija Gallardo 1962,
female, from Rio Salí, Tucumán Province (JMC-DC, 036).
Specific supraocular scutellation patterns as significant...José M. CEI
137
Three significant example of the widespread genus
Liolaemus, all Patagonian lizards, are shown in Fig. 3,
drawing D (Liolaemus kingi), drawing E (L. fitzingeri) and
drawing F (L. silvanae). The Liolaemus pattern exhibits
wide circumorbitals, often segment of median interorbital
azygos, as well as, longitudinally, larger, transversal
supraocular scale rows, bordered by few smaller scale rows
along the strongly produced superciliaries. Between the
several
specific
peculiarities
the
very
irregular
circumorbitals of Liolaemus archeforus can be remembered,
or the rather anomalous scutellation pattern of L.
silvanae, a taxon formerly reported at a generic or
subgeneric rank (Vilcunia silvanae).
Finally, to stress the most outstanding differences,
in accordance with still major systematic categories,
contrasting supraocular scutellations of some Scleroglossa
teiids are shown in drawing G-I. An unmistakable “teiid”
pattern stands out in the robust Dicrodon guttulatum from
Ecuador, as well as in Kentropyx viridistriga and K.
lagartija from North eastern and Northwestern Argentina,
two good although very similar species synonymized by
former authors (Tedesco and Cei, 1997).
Concluding
my
remarks,
the
emphasized
specific
distinctiveness of lacertilian supraocular lepidosis, and
its agreement with the systematic position of the most
different taxa, is a noticeable anatomical condition,
suitable for diagnostic purposes. It can be considered as
a curious kind of reptilian “finger-prints”, giving at
first sight a quick approximation for identifying unknown
specimens. Its easy localization makes it then a simple
even
valuable
discriminative
tool
for
preliminary
classifications. I hope that the necessarily limited
samples
presented
here
could
be
sufficient
for
understanding utility and boundaries of this finding. The
scutellation traits involved support undoubtedly a genetic
interference within the speciation process of every taxon.
LITERATURE
CEI,
CITED
J.M.; J.A. SCOLARO and F. VIDELA, 2001. The present status of
Argentinean Polychrotid species of the genus Pristidactylus and
description of its southernmost taxon as a new species. J. of
Herpetology, 35 (4): 597-605.
ETHERIDGE, R., 1970. A review of the South American iguanid genus Plica.
Bull. Br. Mus. Nat. Hist. (Zoology), 19: 237-256.
138
FACENA, Vol. 19, 2003
ETHERIDGE, R., 1995. Redescription of Ctenoblepharis adspersa Tschudi,
1845, and the taxonomy of Liolaeminae (Reptilia, Squamata,
Tropiduridae) Amer. Mus. Novitates, 3142: 24 p., 6 figs.
FROST, D.R., 1992. Phylogenetic Analysis and Taxonomy of the Tropidurus
group of Lizards (Iguania, Tropiduridae). Amer. Mus. Novitates,
3033. 68 p.
FROST, D.R. and R. ETHERIDGE, 1989. A phylogenetic analysis and taxonomy
of Iguania Lizards (Reptilia, Squamata). Misc. Publ. Mus. Nat.
Hist. Univ. Kansas, 81: 1-65.
FROST, D.R.; R. ETHERIDGE; D. JANIES and T.A. TITOS, 2001. Total evidence,
sequence allignment, evolution of Polychrotid Lizards, and a
reclassification of the Iguania (Squamata, Iguania). Amer. Mus.
Novitates, 3344. 38 p.
PETERS, J.A., 1964. Dictionary of Herpetology. Hafner Publ. Co., New
York, 392 p. 26 p ill.
TEDESCO, M.E. and J.M. CEI, 1997. Osteological research on the genus
Kentropyx from Argentina and revalidation of the specific status
of Kentropyx lagartija Gallardo 1962 (Squamata, Teiidae). Boll.
Mus. Reg. Sci. Nat. Torino, 15 (1): 231-240.
Recibido/Received/: 14-Abr-03
Aceptado/Accepted/: 28-Ago-03